How are salamanders able to take off and stick their landing with ease?

Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take off with ease remains something of a mystery. As per a new study, the answer may have a lot to do with blood-powered toes of wandering salamanders. Researchers discovered that wandering salamanders can rapidly fill, trap, and drain the blood in their toe tips to optimise attachment, detachment and general locomotion through their arboreal environment. The researchers uncovered that wandering salamanders can finely control and regulate blood flow to each side of their toe tips. This allows them to adjust pressure asymmetrically, improving grip on irregular surfaces like tree bark. Surprisingly, the blood rushing in before “toe off” appears to help salamanders detach rather than attach. By slightly inflating the toe tip, the salamanders reduce the surface area in contact with the surface they are on, minimising the energy required to let go. The research not only uncovers a previously unknown physiological mechanism in salamanders but also has implications for bioinspired designs. Insights into salamander toe mechanics could ultimately inform the development of adhesives, prosthetics, and even robotic appendages.